1/ In the mid-1990’s, I gave a talk called “I am racist” to an audience of about 120 pacifist, progressive, white people. It was one of the most difficult talks I have ever given. (I am a hetero white man)
2/ I shared about white privilege. I shared about power. I shared about the biases I had and how I repeatedly uncovered more. I shared that I felt it was impossible to grow up white in the United States and not be racist.
3/ I had expected that day to change people’s minds. I had expected that they would feel challenged but encouraged to uncover their biases & recognize their privilege. And some responded with words that suggested exactly that. But others…
4/ Others were defensive. “I don’t think you’re racist” was the single most common comment afterward. I thought, “Of course you don’t because if you did, what would that mean for you?”
5/ White people have the privilege to self-categorize and we do not put ourselves in the racist category. But we must if we are to move away from our racist ways, move away from our racist, anti-Black society.
6/ I hope that that talk and others that I've given over the years have made white people think. Maybe I can’t change minds in that moment but maybe I can make them think. Thinking is an essential step.
7/ We cannot expect Black folks to lead us out of the racist society that we white people created. Please think, learn, reflect, stand up, speak, share. None of us is perfect. But we can be better. #JuneteenthDay2020
